Merry Christmas The War Is Over

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Barack Obama is declaring that U.S. troops are leaving Iraq this month “with honour and with their heads held high.” Obama calls this a “historic moment” as the war in Iraq is ending after nearly nine years. Obama spoke at a news conference Monday with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. All U.S. troops are scheduled to withdraw from Iraq by Dec. 31. The president says the U.S. leaves behind a sovereign and self-reliant Iraq. He says the removal of troops begins a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries. Obama tells al-Maliki that Iraq will not stand alone as it faces its future. He says Iraq has an enduring partner in the United States.